It is a classic on the holiday road: a visibly (very) overloaded car, with a lot of objects and suspensions that seem to be in agony.
“Overload of 655 kg”
This is what the gendarmes have just intercepted, with two impressive photographs shared on X (formerly Twitter).
“Taking your bike on holiday is fine… But not having 655kg of overload is better! Plus, you’ll save yourself from having to call a friend to unload it and pay a €350 fine,” we can read in the post below.
So what are the rules in place to ensure that you do not exceed the authorised weight and that you and other users are safe, especially during this busy summer period?
How many kilos of luggage can your car carry?
You should now check your registration document, in the F1 brand, the authorized total weight (GVWR) in kilograms determined by the vehicle manufacturer, now officially called “technically permissible maximum vehicle weight”.
In the F2 brand it will have the same weight, but depending on the regulations of the country of registration.
Finally in F3 we find the “maximum permissible loaded mass of the assembly in service”, which adds the weight potentially towed by a trailer, or “authorized total rolling weight” (PTRA).
Trailers and roof boxes
By removing the weight of the empty vehicle, which is located at the G mark, you can simply calculate the maximum weight to be loaded on board, or by adding a trailer.
Of course, the unladen weight of this trailer will also be subtracted to determine what can be loaded inside it. And for a driver with a B licence, the authorised gross weight of the vehicle + trailer combination must not exceed 3.5 tonnes, as this information page reminds us.
To use the example of a vehicle stopped by the police, placing a load on the roof is also subject to certain rules. However, common sense should prevail and try to reduce wind resistance as much as possible. The load must also remain stable and be firmly secured.
The load must not protrude from the front of the vehicle and if it protrudes more than 1 meter from the rear it must be indicated with a reflective device, remember Avatar.
Most roof racks for passenger cars can support a weight of 75 kilos, and some can support up to 100 kilos. Equivalent capacities are found for roof boxes. A solution that will also allow you to avoid having to secure your load, for example with a tarpaulin. The maximum weight that the roof can support is indicated in the user manual or in the maintenance booklet.
What sanctions?
During another “big catch” by the gendarmes at the beginning of July with a surplus of 3 tons (!!), their Facebook post recalled the meaning of this rule:
“When a vehicle is overloaded, all chassis components will wear out prematurely and the life of tires, brakes and suspensions will be significantly reduced,” they explain.
Beyond the risk to vehicle occupants and other road users, this overload also causes excessive fuel consumption and increased wear on road infrastructure.
The opportunity also to give the sanctions imposed.
“The penalty for overloading provides for a principle of accumulating fourth-class fines as many times as there are excess weight sections over the authorized weight,” the police said.
The indicative amount is therefore 135 euros (less 90 euros) for every 500 kilos over the gross weight. The vehicle may be immobilised if the authorised weight is exceeded by 5%, i.e. from 175 kilos over for a gross weight of 3.5 tonnes.
You’ll also need to find someone to pick up the vehicle’s excess cargo, which will otherwise be scrapped to be destroyed by law enforcement.
Source: BFM TV
